A parliamentary inquiry into problem gambling in Australia has endorsed the phasing-in of new technology that limits the amount of money an individual can feed into pokie machines.
The inquiry was instigated by Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie, one of three independents whose support was critical to the forming of a minority government by the Australian Labor Party last year, AAP reports.
One of Mr Wilkie's conditions of support was a promise to tackle addiction to gaming machines.
The parliamentary report says it is possible to install the new technology by 2014.
Mr Wilkie said the $A3 billion cost of the reforms paled in comparison to the $A5 billion a year lost by problem gamblers on pokies each year.
Under the reforms, clubs would have two choices: introduce "low intensity" machines with a maximum $A1 bet per game and a maximum $A500 jackpot, or roll out a mandatory pre-commitment scheme under which all players set a limit on their losses.
Large clubs would have until 2014 to get the systems set up and small clubs with 15 machines or fewer would have until 2018.
The report also recommends a lock-out when limits are reached, a cooling-off period for limit increases, safeguards to prevent gamblers from machine and venue hopping, and a self-exclusion function.
The clubs industry and opposition say the changes will mean some venues will close and jobs will be lost, causing hardship especially in rural and regional communities.
But the report said clubs had a responsibility to the estimated 95,000 pokies addicts, who were hurting themselves and their families.
